Introducing palliative care into the intensive care unit: An interventional study

Background: Many Intensive Care Unit (ICU) deaths include patient and family suffering. While there is a need to include palliative care in the ICU, such care is often unavailable. Objectives: To determine whether a course in ICU Palliative Care was associated with changes in participants' palliative care knowledge, attitudes and practices. Methods: Four cohorts of a national Israeli course in ICU palliative care (N = 122) were followed. Data were collected on the first and last day of a six-month course and 2-5 years later. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in palliative care attitudes and practices, with knowl-edge levels and quality of death and dying stable after course completion. Participants reported obtaining knowledge and skills necessary to introduce palliative care but were thwarted by organizational barriers. Conclusions: The course was successful in building participants capacity to provide palliative care however; barriers made introduction of palliative care into the ICU difficult. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.